MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - best TABLET form factor,and size for reading

stumped · 11-10-2016, 02:59 AM

background - I already have and intend to keep , a Kindle voyage, and a fire hDX tablet

I am wanting to treat myself to another tablet, for both videos and reading, so I am looking at form factors and sizes.
any links to other discussions will be appreciated.

I only read at home so ease of transport is not a factor.

here's my dilemmas,
1. for movies a 16:10 rectangle is arguably best, like my Fire HDX
but for reading, most? folks assert that 4: 3 is better, like ipads or like my shortlisted samsung galaxy tab 2
On the 16:10 tablets that I already own, i read mostly in landscape, using 2 column layouts
on a 4:3 device I guess i'd read in single column portrait
formats is not an issue - I know how to convert and I can sideload epub readers to amazon tablets as needed

2. then there is 8 inch via 9.7 inch size. I guess smaller = lighter, so easier to hold but text will be smaller

3. and finally there is ppi. I tabulated the ppi for all that i have now + my shortlist, but how much is " enough" i.e. at what number can you not tell the difference for reading ?

My kindle voyage ppi is 300

my shortlist of owned + targetted tablets, sorted on ppi looks like this
Lenovo (owned) 10.1 218 - fonts definitely look rougher on that
samsung galaxy tab s2 9.7 264
nvidia shield K1 8.0 283
samsung galaxy tab s2 8.0 320
fire HDX (owned) 8.9 339 - excellent fonts

( the shortlist is short because netflix in full HD is another requirement and only a few tablets are whitelisted by Netflix for that. )

so I am looking for feedback on ppi, form factors and sizes, for android tablets only please, and not to sidetrack into any e -ink vs tablet or android vs apple territory.
I will probably stick with my of google play copy of Bookari, as the android reader, and make my own pseudo night mode theme colour choices.

A final observation on size: if I hold my largest Lenovo tablet at my normal reading /viewing distance then look only out of each single eye, I note that both eyes do not take in the whole screen. each eye cuts off one bottom corner. that seems to make the case for a smaller screen , where both eyes should take in all of it?

11-10-2016, 02:59 AM	#1
stumped Wizard Posts: 3,305 Karma: 10259306 Join Date: May 2016 Device: kobo forma, Kobo Libra, Huawei media Tab, fire HD10, PW3 HDX8.9,	best TABLET form factor,and size for reading background - I already have and intend to keep , a Kindle voyage, and a fire hDX tablet I am wanting to treat myself to another tablet, for both videos and reading, so I am looking at form factors and sizes. any links to other discussions will be appreciated. I only read at home so ease of transport is not a factor. here's my dilemmas, 1. for movies a 16:10 rectangle is arguably best, like my Fire HDX but for reading, most? folks assert that 4: 3 is better, like ipads or like my shortlisted samsung galaxy tab 2 On the 16:10 tablets that I already own, i read mostly in landscape, using 2 column layouts on a 4:3 device I guess i'd read in single column portrait formats is not an issue - I know how to convert and I can sideload epub readers to amazon tablets as needed 2. then there is 8 inch via 9.7 inch size. I guess smaller = lighter, so easier to hold but text will be smaller 3. and finally there is ppi. I tabulated the ppi for all that i have now + my shortlist, but how much is " enough" i.e. at what number can you not tell the difference for reading ? My kindle voyage ppi is 300 my shortlist of owned + targetted tablets, sorted on ppi looks like this Lenovo (owned) 10.1 218 - fonts definitely look rougher on that samsung galaxy tab s2 9.7 264 nvidia shield K1 8.0 283 samsung galaxy tab s2 8.0 320 fire HDX (owned) 8.9 339 - excellent fonts ( the shortlist is short because netflix in full HD is another requirement and only a few tablets are whitelisted by Netflix for that. ) so I am looking for feedback on ppi, form factors and sizes, for android tablets only please, and not to sidetrack into any e -ink vs tablet or android vs apple territory. I will probably stick with my of google play copy of Bookari, as the android reader, and make my own pseudo night mode theme colour choices. A final observation on size: if I hold my largest Lenovo tablet at my normal reading /viewing distance then look only out of each single eye, I note that both eyes do not take in the whole screen. each eye cuts off one bottom corner. that seems to make the case for a smaller screen , where both eyes should take in all of it?